AUGUSTA, Ga.  Phil Mickelson has to be disturbed with his downward trend in the Masters.

It would seem like a 4-over-par 76 would be an anomaly for the San Diegan on the Augusta National course he loves. But in carding that score in Thursday’s first round, it was the third time in his last four trips around here that he’s shot that high.

His scoring average over the last four Masters rounds: 75.5.

Trying to win his fourth green jacket, Mickelson stumbled by making a triple-bogey 7 on the seventh hole and a double-bogey 7 on the course’s third-easiest hole of the day, No. 15.

“There were possibilities for low scores, and I actually played well,” Mickelson said. “I know it’s hard to say that, but I actually played well. I just made a lot of little mental errors. I made a lot of mistakes around the green.”

At the seventh, Mickelson missed the green and his too-hard chip rolled off the green. Once up by the hole, he three-putted from 5 feet. At the 15th, he had to punch out from the trees on his second shot and hit the water on his third.

Mickelson did make one incredible shot, rolling in a curling putt on the 10th hole that was at least 40 feet. “Are you kidding me?” he said to his caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, when the ball barely dropped in.

Scott returns strong

Adam Scott admits that playing the first stretch of the Masters is more nerve-wracking than any tournament in the year. It was a little less so on Thursday en route to him shooting the 3-under 69 that got him into a tie for second.

“Having won last year, I think in some ways it has taken a little pressure off me as I teed up today,” Scott said. “I kind of felt like, ‘What is the worst thing that can happen? I’m still going to be a Masters champion.’ “

Scott made a double-bogey 5 on the par-3 12th. It was the first time, he said, that he ever hit Rae’s Creek there.

Scott on hosting the Masters champions dinner on Tuesday night: “All I had to say was really how grateful I am to Augusta National for everything that I've been able to experience in the last 12 months. … I probably rambled a little more than that, but that was about it. It's quite hard to address a room with all the guys that you've looked up to forever.”

McIlroy, Spieth draw

At 24, Rory McIlroy is the sage veteran in his group for the first two rounds, and the two-time major winner managed to at least hold his own against the kids. The Irishman shot a 1-under 71 that matched the card of 20-year-old Masters rookie Jordan Spieth.

The third player, Patrick Reed, 23, shot 73 in his Masters debut.

McIlroy said the dried-out course, with tough pin placements, played more difficult than in past opening rounds and figures to bring the shorter-hitting players into the mix.

“It’s not just about power then; it’s about precision,” he said. “It becomes more of a mental challenge than anything else. It almost becomes like chess, where you’re making these moves. That hasn’t been my forte in the past, but I’ll learn to love it this week.”

Chip-ins

-- Golf Digest reported late on Thursday that former Masters champion Billy Casper, 82, was hospitalized and then released after fainting at Augusta National on Wednesday.

-- Augusta National apparently has a powerful new club member. Without any announcement, as is policy, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared at the Masters in his new, logoed green jacket.

-- The only player to birdie all of the par-5s on Thursday was 48-year-old former Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, who nevertheless shot 74.